Clafouris aux Cerises

or ahem.. Cherry Cake.


You may remember that last year just around this time I posted a Basque Cake recipe. Cherries are so good in July, and the French use them especially at this time of year. So typically, I look for some French cake or pastry recipe to whip up. You know, Strawberry Shortcake in June, Peach Cobbler in August, and Cherry Something French in, July. This year when I took my trek through French cookbooks, I spotted one that looked simple (though that really was not a criteria for recipe selection), moist and delicious. Delicious was a criteria :-). This cake turned out to be even more moist than I anticipated. The scrumptious little piece of gateau was dense like a pudding. Oh yum!! Being more of a pie person than a cake person, I was delighted! Also, if you think you may like to try this, though it is delicieux while warm, I liked it even better after it had been refrigerated over night and served cold, so you may want to bake it the day before, or morning of wanting to serve it. I do have another cherry yummy I will be trying on Jour de Bastille Juilllet de 14, Bastille Day. I will get that recipe up if I like it as much as I did this one. So with no further ado, la recette:

Cherry Cake

Filling:

• 1/2 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh cherries, or 2 1/2 ~ 3 cups canned or frozen Bing or dark sweet cherries
  

Batter:

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Sauce:

• 1 cup reserved liquid from the fresh or canned cherries
• 2 tablespoons cherry or raspberry preserves
• 1/4 cup cold water

On your mark...

• Preheat the oven to 350 F.
• Butter and flour a 5~6 cup baking dish or cake pan.
• Wash, pit and remove the stems of cherries if fresh. Pit and remove stems over a bowl to catch any juice.
• If cherries are canned, drain and reserve the liquid.
• If using frozen cherries there is no need to thaw, just add 10 minutes to baking time.
• Dry cherries by rolling them about in paper toweling.
• Measure 2 1/2 ~ 3 cups cherries and put them in clean bowl.

Get set...

• Add the batter ingredients to the jar of a blender in the order in which they are listed. Place the lid on securely. Blend at high speed for 1 minute.
• To do this by hand, place the ingredients in a large bowl and blend well with a spoon or whisk. (Personally, I would not do this after seeing the consistency of the finished cake.)

Cook!

• Spread the cherries evenly across the bottom of the baking dish.
• Gently pour the batter over the cherries.
• Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 50 ~ 60 minutes, or until the top turns golden brown and the center of the cake is firm. Let the cake rest while you prepare the sauce.
• Pour the reserved liquid from the canned cherries or any juices that accumulated from the fresh cherries into a small saucepan.
• Add the cherry or raspberry preserves and the water and mix well.
• Bring to a boil on medium~high heat. Reduce to simmer and cook for 3~4 minutes. (I ended up simmering for more like 8~10 minutes.)

This cake can be served with he sauce warm or cold. Topped with real whipped cream is really wonderful... again warm or cold. (My personal note.)

This recipe is from The Cooking of France, and is authored by, Matthew Locricchio. This book is geared toward the younger aspiring chef, and so I did cut corners on the directions, but basically this is how the recipe appears in Mr. Locricchio's book.


Bon appetit!